Thursday, September 07, 2006

You know how some people stay away from books with children? Well, I kind of feel that way about dogs. This occurred to me last night as I was reading a book in which the heroine's dog is poisoned and she actually considers committing suicide. Because she can't live without her dog.

That's just sad.

Shocking confession: I'm not a dog person.

Now admit it, you're all thinking, "Man, she's a heartless bitch." It takes a brave person to admit it. Poor, innocent, kind creatures that they are. I don't care. I like playing with other people's dogs. I think they're cute as long as they're not slobbering on me. I mean look at this picture of the puppy!! (Courtesy of CuteOverload) He's adorable. But I feel an enormous sense of schadenfraude when I see people picking up dog shit in the park, and shouting "COME HERE NOW, ROVER!!" as their dog runs in the opposite direction. Hee hee.

So books in which dogs play a big role don't do much for me. And I really hate it when authors use a character's love of animals as code for this is a really good person. Just because a hero takes care of a dog doesn't mean he's a prince. I'm going to need some other reasons to care about a character.

Now, don't all you dog-lovers hate me. I'm sure your dog is special and wonderful.

But I feel an enormous sense of schadenfraude when I see people picking up dog shit in the park, and shouting "COME HERE NOW, ROVER!!" as their dog runs in the opposite direction. Hee hee.

OMG! You mean I'm not the only person in the world that has to holler after their dog? As for stoop and scooping *gag* I make him go in the yard and if he even thinks of doing the hunchback walk I start running him until we get home. NOT. DOING. IT.

Okay, I've had to because I'm not a pig but I sooooo get cranky.

Maybe you're a lizard person? ;)

Killing yourself because your pet has died means you are mentally ill. No. For real. I love all my pets but I understand they don't have the same lifespan as I do.

Now, if someone killed one of my pets they better sleep with both eyes open cause I'm coming for them!

First of all let me say that, as an extreme animal lover that I am, I think anyone that told you you were a heartless bitch because you don't like dogs is an idiot.

People who treat animal cruelly are heartless bitches. There is nothing wrong in not like a particular animal, no matter how cute and fluffy. I should know. I don't like children. They annoy me most of the time and yes, I stay away from novels with kids because I basically feel the same way as you do about dogs. I mean, just because the hero or heroine isn't gaga over a kid doesn't mean they are evil.

Now if they were to hit the kid then that would be evil.

People need to learn to make distinctions [sp?].

I think you are great simply because you are honest. I rather have someone tell me they don't like dogs when they come to my house so I can put them away [kind of sounds like toys don't they? lol] than act as if they like them and shove them away when I'm not looking or something.

Shoot, I wish I could do the same to people with kids but, apparently, it's heresy to tell parents to keep their damn kids of off my very expensive purse! LOL.

LMFAO Cindy!!! You should see ME running after my dog. Is hopeless I swear. Ugh.

Oh and about the heroine, well, maybe she did have some mental sickness. Maybe that was the plot device. The girl is crazy so she wants to kill herself and then the hero comes and rescues her because he happens to be a Dr so he starts giving her theraphy and then they fall in love but then they can't be together because they have a patient/doctor thing going. So then the Dr decides to not be her Dr anymore and then they live happily ever after.

Mailyn--Nice guess, but no! LOL. Though that might have made a better book. ;) It was not a romance at all actually--a mystery. Not a very good one.

I'm going to be mean and not tell you all the title. I was proofing it for work and I've made myself the promise not to blog about those books specifically. I figure if I'm being paid to read them, then criticizing them on my personal blog would be crossing a line I'm not too comfortable with. I don't want to get dooced. ;)

Samantha-I really want a cat. I've never owned one before, but I think I would really like having one.

Ames & Cindy--Good thing you guys live in spacious Canada and not NYC. I'm always amazed by the number of people here who have dogs. And I want to ask them, "Why do you have that giant dog when you know you're going to have to pick up every single shit it ever takes??!!" Eww!

I'm not a dog person either. Never wanted one. My sister has one and whenever he does something annoying - which is quite often really - I say Reason 136 why I'm glad I don't have a dog. Cats - now cats are different. They don't need the attention a dog does and you can go away overnight and the cat is fine. You can even go away for a couple of days and if you have someone coming over to feed it and spend a little bit of time with said cat, the cat is fine. I like that in an animal.

Mailyn - I'm the same way. Tell me you don't like dogs and Cody gets put in the den. (We have a kiddie gate to keep him in at night so he doesn't chase the cats while we are sleeping)

My mother is terrified of dogs but we're trying to wean her of the fear so Cody can be out and about but my Mom will ask me to hold him back or to get him away from her and that's fine - she was bit by a dog in her 20s and hasn't really recovered. She can handle smaller dogs but my guy is huge!